Closure for containers



W. D. BRANDON CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 12, 1941 Patented May 27, 1947 CLOSURE FOR commas Wayne D. Brandon, Skokie, IIL, assignor to Baxter Laboratories, Inc., Glenview, 111., a corporation oi Delaware Application December 12, 1941, Serial No. 422,646

'1 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a container and closure means therefor, and to a method of sealing the container under partial vacuum. This application constitutes a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 300,081 for Container and method of sealing same, filed October 18, 1939.

Heretofore it has been common practice to seal containers for parenteral liquids with rubber plugs having an airflow passage and a liquid outflow passage therethrough, the passages being closed to maintain a partial vacuum within the container by resilient rubber disks. The same practice has been employed in sealing evacuated containers used in the transfusion of blood. With these practices, it has been necessary to provide a separate and specially formed rubber disk for the sealing operation. The disk is movable and sometimes becomes misplaced. Further, when the rubber plug is specially treated to increase its smoothness .and to render it less likely that particles may drop into the liquid, it is found that the rubber sealing disk is not as eifective as a seal. There is the further problem of treating both plug and disk. The process of filling and sealing the container requires several steps.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simpler method of filling and sealing the container under partial vacuum. A further object is to provide a closure for the container in which the airflow passage and the liquid fiow passage are each provided with an integral seal in the interior of the passages. A still further object is to provide a container with a sealing plug having a plurality of passages, each being sealed by a thin diaphragm which permits the container to be maintained under vacuum. Another object is to provide a container provided with a sealing plug having an air inflow passage equipped with an integral seal adjacent the end of an air tube, the puncture of the sealing diaphragm tending to open the passage into communication with the air tube. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in preferred embodiments, by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a broken sectional view of a container and closure embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig, l, but showing a different form of plug and showing connections made with the passages; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a difierent form of plug and a rubber sealing disk clamped thereon; and Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. '3 with the sealing disk removed.

In the illustration given, A designates a container; and B, a closure plug therefor.

The container A may be of any suitable structure. In the illustration given in Fig. l, the container is provided with an internal bead l0 upon which the plug B rests. The container A may be of the general shape shown in my Patent No. 2,155,397 dated April 25, 1939, for Container and means for exhausting air therefrom. It will be understood, however, that any suitable type of container may be employed.

The plug B consists of resilient rubber or other suitable resilient sealing material. It is provided with a liquid flow passage II and an air inflow passage l2. It will be noted that each or the passages II and I2 is constricted toward its top portion. Above passage II but separated therefrom by a thin diaphragm is is a depression 14 which, in eflect, provides a continuation of the up er portion of passage ll. Above the upper portion of passage 12 is a depression or passage l5 separated from passage H by a thin diaphragm Hi. It will be understood that the diaphragms I 3 and I6 are readily formed within the passages by molding tools and provide accurately dimensioned films or diaphragms which provide an airtight seal.

A hollow needle i1 is shown extending through diaphragm l6 and providing a means for the entrance of air.

The operation of the structure is shown more clearly in Fig. 2 where the plug B is provided with a flange l8 resting upon the top of the container A. The lower end of the plug B is shown rounded. The passages l2 and II are as shown in Fig. 2. The hollow needle ll extends through the diaphragm [6 to let air enter the container. An outlet connection I!) of a well-known construction is pressed through the depression I4 and into the passage ll so as to allow liquid to flow from the container. The connection It joins a filter drip device 20 of well-known construction from which a tube 21 leads away.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, any suitable type of'thread closure or seal-on metal closure may be used, and it is not necessary to employ a rubber disk or seal.

In certain cases, it is,,however, desirable to have a rubber disk over the top surface 01 the plug in order to maintain this surface sterile. This is especially true in casesof blood transfusion operations and where it is desired to store or bank the blood.

In Fig. 3, the plugB is'provided with the usual passages II and i2 and the diaphragms i3 and IS. The top surface of the plug is further kept sterile by a disk 22 which may be of rigid or flexible material suitable for maintaining a sterile surface. The sealing disk 22 may be maintained in position by a clamp device 23 which engages one of the external beads of the bottle neck and the top portion of the disk 22. When it is desired to have the needle extend through the seal 22, it is preferable to have it formed of a resilient sealing material. However, when for other purposes it is only required that the top surface of the plug be maintained in sterile condition, the seal 22 may be of rigid material or any suitable material.

In the illustration given in Fig. 4. the pl s B, which is identical with that shown in Fig. 2, is provided with the usual p es ii and I2 and the diaphragms It and It. Here the seal 22 is omitted and the clamping evice 23 eng the top flange portion ll of the plug 8'.

The present practice of sealingthe partially evacuated containers is well known and need not be described in detail. A suitablesealing cup is placed about the neck of the bottle or, if desired, about the entire container so as to provide an airtight chamber. The cup is then evacuated,

causing the air to pass through the passages in the plug. The flexible seal on the top of the plug permits air to escape, but when the pressure is returned to atmospheric, the flexible seal prevents the ingress of air, as shown in my Patent The present method simplifies the foregoing method and provides a more effective structure.

According to the new method, the plug B, B or 13 withoutany -sealing disk thereon, is simply placed loosely within the neck of the container. If desired, the plug may be slightly tilted within the neck. In either event, when .the suction is applied to the cup, air is readily withdrawn through the passages provided'by the loose fitting of the plug within the container. On the other i hand, when the pressure is suddenly changed to atmospheric pressure, the partial vacuum within the container causes the plug' to be thrust downwardly into a firm and eiiective sealing position within the neck. It is thus no longer for the operator to carry through the laborious operation of pressing the plug into the neck of the bottle prior to the evacuating operation. The

firm seating of the plug is accomplished auto- 7 matically under the present method when the pressure is reversed. The flow :1: a are each kept sealed by the diaphragm; i3 and II. It will be understood that in practice. an additional passage or two may be formed within the plug for use in blood transfusions and other operations. and that such passages will likewise be sealed by similar diaphragms.

As already stated, the container is now in position to be capped with or without a disk 2| bears against the diaphragm It and when a sharp instrument penetrates, even though slightly, the film it, it rapidly spreads under the tension'exerted by the tube 24 so asto leavethe tube entirely open.

- The diaphragm II is similarly opened. A sharp instrument, after it has passed through the diaphragm, even though slightly, enables the inlet fitting I! to be pressed readily into the position shown in Fig. 2. Upon the inversion of the container to permit the outflow; of liquid through fittin ll, filter drip 20, and tube 2|, air enters the container to fillthe space formerly occupied a by withdrawing liquid through the hollow needle I! or the open passage I! or the airtube 2 In Figs. 1 and 3, a third passage which may be employed in transfusion operations or for other desired operations is designated by the numeral 2 The new method and structure is far simpler than methods heretofore employed for scaling intravenous solutions while at the same time providing a closure which is foolproof and which cannot become misaligned as in the case of the flexible seal. The entire plug can be treated as a unit and it provides in itself a closure for the container and sealing devices for the separate passages.

In the operation of the apparatus, the container is normally inverted to permit the outflow of the liquid through the fitting IS, the frangible.

illm II, being broken to permit the ingress of air. Air may enter either through the hollow needle or through the broken film l8 itself, should a solid needle or other instrument be used.

In contrast with the thin and frangible diaphragms I 3 and It, the thick diaphra above the passage 25 provides a sealing closure through which a. hollow needle may be extended, as for example in the introduction of blood or other liquid, and then subsequently withdrawn, leaving a hermetically sealed closure.

In the prior practice in which a single disk was employed similar to disk 22 as the means for closing the openings. it wasextremely difiicult to selectively open one of the openings without causing a channel of air to enter the other opening. With the structure as shown, as for example in Fig. 4, the film it can be cut, causing the air to enter the tube 24 and to reach the bottom of the container when the same is inverted without passing through and contaminating the liquid. In other words, there is no danger here of air channeling under a lifted flexible disk into the outlet opening because that opening is sealed by a separate diaphragm which remains eflective no matter what change is made in the diaphragm n.

In the operation of inserting the outlet tube l9 into the liquid outlet passage Ii, it has been found extremely difficult to insert the tube when the rubber plug is dry. .'On the other hand, applying liquid to the top of the plug is dangerous because of the possibility that such impure liquid may drain into the container.. With the two diaphragms illustrated, a highly efiicient practice is provided whereby the outlet tube can be moved easily into position so that the head thereof engages the shoulder or looking constriction of the outlet passage while at the same time not contaminating the liquid within the container. In the moistening of the top of the plug, liquid is prevented from passingthrough the passages by the diaphragms, and the top can be wiped so as to remove any. stream or pool thereon. The remaining moistened surface provided by the plug and above the diaphragm It enables the outlet tube to be moved readily past the constriction and below the locking shoulders thereof. Thus,

after the removal of the cap, the top of the plug is moistened so as to make the surfaces thereof moist, but without the formation of any stream or pool thereon. The container may be inverted to permit air to enter the air tube 2. The diaphragm I! may be pierced with a sharp instrument and the fitting- I! pressed therein so that the bead thereof engages the locking shoulders of the passage. The moist walls in the upper in the upper portion of the plug above the diaphragms l3 and I8 provide markers for the passages and serve as means for guiding the connection I9 or the cutting instrument into the passages.

While in the foregoing description, I have set forth specific details and steps for the p se of illustrating the structure and the method of employing it. it will be understood that such details may be varied widely without departing from the spirit of my invention. w

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction upper portion of the plug and extending across a the passage to close the same, said diaphragm being penetrable to permit the insertion of the outlet tube in the passage, a shoulder in an intermediate portion of said passage and spaced below said diaphragm for engaging an enlarged portion of the outlet tube, and an outlet tube provided with a pair of spaced enlargements adjacent the end thereof, the upper and lower enlargements being adapted to engage respectively the portion of the upper surface of the plug about said passage and the shoulder in said passage.

2. A container-closure for containers of liquids for intravenous administration, comprising a rubber stopper which has a hole extending from its lower face almost to its upper face and which also has between the end of the hole and said upper face an integral web which closes the holeend, said hole having a smaller portion near said web and a larger portion remote from said web to provide a shoulder between said hole portions, in combination with a tubular member for puncturing and insertion through said web which has two spaced enlargements which on insertion of the tubular member through said web grip between them the shoulder within the hole closed by said web and the upper face of the rubber stopp 3. A container-closure for containers of liquids for intravenous administration, comprising a rubber stopper which has two holes, each extending from its lower face almost to its upper face and which also has between the end of each hole and said upper face an integral web which closes the hole-end, each of said holes having a smaller portion near said web and a larger portion remote from said web to provide a shoulder between said two hole portions, in combination with two tubular members for puncturing and insertion through one of said webs which has two spaced enlargements which on insertion of that tubular member through one of said webs grip between them the shoulder within the hole closed by said web and the upper face of said rubber stopper.

4. A container-closure for containers of liquids for intravenous administration, comprising a rubber stopper which has a hole extending from its lower face almost to its upper face and which also has between the end of the hole and said upper face an inte ral web which closes the hole-,

comprising a closure plug having a body formed of resilient material and provided with an outlet passage extending therethrough, an integral resilient diaphragm extending across said passage to close the same, said diaphragm being positioned slightly below the upper face of the plug to define a recess above the diaphragm, and the latter being puncturable to permit the insertion of an outlet tube in the passage, the outlet passage having a relatively restricted portion of uniform diameter extending immediately below the diaphragm and an enlarged portion below the restricted portion, said portions b'eing connected by a shoulder, and an outlet tube insertable through the punctured diaphragm and provided with an enlargement engaging said shoulder, the punctured portion of the diaphragm extending downwardly along the walls of the passage to firmly grip the outlet tube and urge the latter upwardly to bring said enlargement into liquid-tight gripping engagement with the shoulder.

6. A container closure comprising a plug having a body formed of resilient material and provided with an outlet passage. extending therethrough, said passage being adapted to receive an outlet tube therein, an integral resilient diaphragm extending across said passage to close the same, said diaphragm being positioned slight- 1y below the upper face of the plug to define a recess above the diaphragm, and the latter being puncturable to permit the insertion of the outlet tube in the passage, the outlet passage having a relatively restricted portion of uniform diameter extending immediately below the diaphragm and an enlarged portion below the restricted portion, said portions being connected by a shoulder for firmly engaging an enlargement on the outlet tube when the latter is inserted through the diaphragm.

7. In combination, a container closure for containers of liquids for intravenous administration, comprising a closure plug having a body formed of resilient material and provided with an outlet passage extending therethrough, an integral resilient diaphragm extending across said passage to close the same and being puncturable to permit the insertion of an outlet tube in the passage, the outlet passage having an enlarged portion below the diaphragm and providing a shoulder, and an outlet tube insertable through the punctured diaphragm and provided with an enlargement engaging said shoulder, the punctured portion of the diaphragm extending downwardly along the walls of the passage and under tension to firmly grip ,the outlet tube and urge the latter upwardly to bring said enlargement into liquidtight gripping engagement with the shoulder.

WAYNE D. BRANDON.

(References on following page) lemmas crrm The followlng refereneeS are of record in the file of this patent:

um'rnn s'rsmsrem'rs Number Name Dete Trotter -1--- Feb. 11, 1941 Floadorg May I, 1940 Beardsley Feb. 2'1, 1940 Baxter Dec. 26, 1933 Cooksey Feb. 11, 1941 Paisley et a1. Aug. 1, 1939 Nesset Nov. 19, 1940 Meglone Aug. 14, 1868 Baxter June 4, 1995 Felt Feb. 15, 1938 Number Number 1 517,223

Germany 1901 

